Italy government aide warns France against escalating migrant dispute with EU fund retaliation

One of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's closest aides has warned France against escalating an ongoing spat on migration by limiting Rome's access to the European Union's post-pandemic recovery funds.

Migrants sleep on deck of NGO rescue ship 'Ocean Viking', in the Mediterranean Sea, 6 November, 2022. via REUTERS - CAMILLE MARTIN JUAN/SOS MEDITERR

Giovanbattista Fazzolari, undersecretary for the implementation of the government programme, told Il Corriere della Sera on Friday "I hope they are not referring to [the EU post-pandemic] funds," as any such action would be "very serious."

With around €200 billion to be disbursed, Italy is the biggest beneficiary among the EU 27 nations of the so-called European Recovery And Resilience Fund.

Ocean Viking: "La France regrette très profondément que l'Italie ait pris le parti de ne pas se considérer comme un État européen responsable", fustige Gérald Darmanin pic.twitter.com/Pdb7GyYWPp

— BFMTV (@BFMTV) November 10, 2022

• France allows Ocean Viking migrant rescue ship to dock after Italy refuses
• France insists Italy 'play its part' and allow migrant ship Ocean Viking to dock

'Reprehensible' conduct

Italy demands "only respect", he added, after French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on Thursday that the migration row between Rome and Paris would have "extremely strong consequences for the bilateral relationship".

France on Thursday agreed to welcome the charity-run Ocean Viking rescue boat into one of its ports, after Italy refused to let it dock on its territory with more than 200 migrants on board.

Darmanin called Italy's conduct "reprehensible" and "selfish."

The Ocean Viking has reportedly docked this Friday morning at the southern French port city of Toulon.